Lung directed antibody gene transfer confers protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a worldwide threat and effective antiviral drugs and vaccines are being developed in a joint global effort. However, some elderly and immune-compromised populations are unable to raise an effective immune response against traditional vaccines.

Aims: We hypothesised that passive immunity engineered by the in vivo expression of anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), an approach termed vectored-immunoprophylaxis (VIP), could offer sustained protection against COVID-19 in all populations irrespective of their immune status or age.

Lung-targeting lentiviral vector for passive immunisation against influenza.

When recombinant simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) is pseudotyped with the F and HN glycoproteins from murine respiratory Sendai virus (rSIV.F/HN), it provides efficient lung cell targeting and lifelong transgene expression in the murine airways. We have shown that a single dose of rSIV.

Hypofibrinolysis in type 2 diabetes: the role of the inflammatory pathway and complement C3.

Aims/hypothesis: Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) has been regarded as the main antifibrinolytic protein in diabetes, but recent work indicates that complement C3 (C3), an inflammatory protein, directly compromises fibrinolysis in type 1 diabetes. The aim of the current project was to investigate associations between C3 and fibrinolysis in a large cohort of individuals with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: Plasma levels of C3, C-reactive protein (CRP), PAI-1 and fibrinogen were analysed by ELISA in 837 patients enrolled in the Edinburgh Type 2 Diabetes Study.

Diabetes is associated with posttranslational modifications in plasminogen resulting in reduced plasmin generation and enzyme-specific activity.

Diabetes is associated with hypofibrinolysis by mechanisms that are only partially understood. We investigated the effects of in vivo plasminogen glycation on fibrinolysis, plasmin generation, protein proteolytic activity, and plasminogen-fibrin interactions. Plasma was collected from healthy controls and individuals with type 1 diabetes before and after improving glycemia.

Gender-specific alterations in fibrin structure function in type 2 diabetes: associations with cardiometabolic and vascular markers.

Context: Diabetes is associated with increased incidence of atherothrombotic disease. The fibrin network forms the backbone of the arterial thrombus, and fibrin clot structure determines predisposition to cardiovascular events.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to investigate fibrin clot structure/fibrinolysis in the largest type 2 diabetes cohort and analyze associations with cardiometabolic risk factors and vascular pathology.

Expression of the NS3 protease of cytopathogenic bovine viral diarrhea virus results in the induction of apoptosis but does not block activation of the beta interferon promoter.

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV; genus Pestivirus) can exist as two biotypes, cytopathogenic (CP) and non-cytopathogenic (NCP). The CP form differs from NCP by the continual expression of free non-structural protein 3 (NS3). CP BVDV infection of cultured cells induces apoptosis, whereas NCP BVDV infection has been reported to block the induction of beta interferon (IFN-beta).

A phenytoin assay using dried blood spot samples suitable for domiciliary therapeutic drug monitoring.

A commercially available substrate-labelled fluorescent immunoassay procedure has been modified to create a simple rapid method for the determination of capillary phenytoin concentration in dried filter paper blood spots of patients on phenytoin therapy. The specimens are collected and dispatched to the laboratory by the patient, thus domiciliary monitoring of phenytoin therapy can take place. The technique was validated by comparing the phenytoin results of simultaneously collected capillary dried blood spots and conventional plasma samples.

The activity of hepatic lipase and lipoprotein lipase in glycogen storage disease: evidence for a circulating inhibitor of postheparin lipolytic activity.

This study was designed to investigate the greatly reduced activities of hepatic lipase and lipoprotein lipase in postheparin plasma of patients with glycogen storage disease (GSD). Evidence for the presence of a circulating inhibitor in the plasma of GSD patients prior to the establishment of metabolic control was provided by the following observations. The hepatic lipase activity from patients with GSD gave a nonlinear relationship with time, maximum activity being obtained after 5 min whereas normal postheparin plasma showed a linear relationship for at least 20 min.

The validation of a fluoroimmunoassay for the determination of theophylline concentration in dried blood spots suitable for domiciliary therapeutic drug monitoring.

A commercially available substrate-labelled fluorescent immunoassay procedure has been modified to create a simple rapid method for the determination of capillary theophylline concentration in the dried filter paper blood spots of patients on theophylline therapy. The specimens are collected and dispatched to the laboratory by the patient; thus domiciliary monitoring of theophylline therapy can take place. The technique offers a convenient method for overcoming many of the practical problems that arise during theophylline therapy in asthmatic patients.

Relationship between plasma high-density lipoprotein concentrations and lipoprotein lipase and hepatic lipase activities in children with hyperlipidaemia.

1. Significant positive correlations were found between the lipoprotein lipase and hepatic lipase activities of post-heparin plasma samples and plasma high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentrations in 21 children with hyperlipidaemia and six normal adult males. 2.